Responding to the legendary Flaming June by Lord Frederic Leighton, currently on view at The Met, Godward showcased his unparalleled skill as a painter of beauty
In 1895, Lord Frederic Leighton, a distinguished sculptor and painter and President of the Royal Academy of Arts, exhibited his masterpiece Flaming June at the Academy to much acclaim. That same year, John William Godward painted his response. The resulting A Siesta, offered on 20 October as part of the European Art sale at Christie’s in New York, represents the pinnacle of Godward’s painterly abilities as a Victorian Aestheticist.
‘Godward wasn’t a member of the Royal Academy, which is why it was so audacious of him to replicate a painting by their President,’ says Laura Mathis, Head of the European Art Sale. ‘It’s such a bold act, and I think gives us a little insight into his personality as well as his confidence as an artist.’
John William Godward, R.B.A. (1861-1922), A Siesta.
Oil on canvas. 32 5⁄8 × 28 ¾ in (82.9 × 73 cm).
Little is known of Godward’s life. After eschewing his family’s insurance business in pursuit of an artistic career, the shy and reclusive painter went on to regularly exhibit at the Royal Academy and Royal Society of British Artists. He later moved to Rome, where he drew inspiration from the city’s ancient architecture.
After his death in 1922, his family, from whom he was long estranged, burned much of his personal effects and papers. Despite the scarcity of biographical information, he is recognised today as one of the most important Neo-Classicists of the 19th century.
Art for art’s sake
Godward was part of the second generation of Victorian Aestheticist painters, following in the footsteps of Leighton and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. The Aesthetic movement was a response across art and design that favoured ‘art for art’s sake’ in the face of the mass consumption brought on by the Industrial Age. It was led by painters such as James Abbott McNeill Whistler, architects like Christopher Dresser and designers like William Morris.
Lord Frederic Leighton, Flaming June, 1896.
Museo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico.
One of the hallmarks of the Aestheticists’ paintings was the invocation of a mood over narrative. In Flaming June — currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York — Leighton depicts a sleeping woman against a Mediterranean seascape. The bright orange of her dress glows across the curves of her body and the colours of her skin and hair.
There are several allusions to antiquity throughout, including the figure’s pose — inspired by Michelangelo’s sculpture Night — her diaphanous robes and the architectural elements behind her. This was typical of Leighton’s work. He was nicknamed ‘Jupiter Olympus’ by his contemporaries, a reference to his passion for Greek and Roman iconography.
In A Siesta, Godward reimagines many details of Flaming June. At the centre of the composition is a sleeping woman, a nod to Leighton but also a prevalent theme throughout Victorian painting. The sleeping figure was a complex motif, representing both isolation and sexual desire as well as death and the dreamlike state. Above all, the sleeper invites the prolonged gaze of the viewer, drawing us deeper into the painting.
Though compositionally similar to Leighton’s, the figure in A Siesta is depicted more naturalistically. Her pose is more anatomically feasible than the contortionist posture of Flaming June, suggesting that Godward worked with a model before him. In addition, while the gown worn by the sleeping figure mimics the drapery of Leighton’s, Godward has made the fabric more transparent than Leighton’s, further emphasising the contours of the female form.
While Leighton’s painting is laden with symbolism, like oleander flowers and the colour of the subject’s gown, Godward’s is reflects the Aesthetic movement’s pure focus on beauty. ‘The Aesthetic movement sought the apotheosis of beauty above all else, and that’s what Godward gets at in this painting,’ says Mathis. ‘He’s highlighting the beauty of the furs, marble and fabric by severing it from the allegorical.’
Hallmarks of his signature style
Despite the many parallels between these two paintings, A Siesta ultimately embodies the hallmarks of Godward’s own signature style. Mythology and the feminine ideal were his primary sources of inspiration, and he weaves both subjects into the painting. He also demonstrates his virtuosity in depicting textiles and texture, revelling in the sheer fabric of the figure’s gown, the colourful brocaded pillows and the glossy stripes of tiger fur.
Examples of Godward’s signature style.
Left: At the fountain. Oil on canvas. 54 ¾ × 36 ⅛ in (139.1 × 91.8 cm).
Sold for $500,000 October 12, 2021 at Christie’s New York.
Right: At the gate of the temple. Oil on canvas. 63 ⅝ × 28 in (161.6 × 71.1 cm).
Sold for $962,500 January 25, 2011 at Christie’s New York.
In addition, Godward showcases his architectural background and significant skill in rendering marble through paint. He was renowned for his technical mastery of capturing architectural details and often posed his subjects before a marble structure. Here, the background includes six different examples of stone that vary in colour and texture. ‘In layering all of those contrasting stones, painting the seams and textures, he’s showing off what he can do,’ says Mathis. ‘It’s a tour de force.’
Above all, the painting is a meditation on colour and form, a prime concern for followers of the Aesthetic movement. Though this style of painting initially fell out of fashion with the emergence of avant-garde artists at the turn of the century, new scholarship in recent decades has led to a deeper appreciation of the Aesthetic movement’s legacy. ‘In the art world, inherent quality is always a central factor,’ says Mathis. ‘I think some of the Aestheticist’s return to popularity is due to their obvious technical and painterly skill. We can see this clearly in works like Flaming June and A Siesta.’
Source: Christie’s
